Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
At one point during the Assembly proceedings today, the SDLP leader Mark Durkan suggested it was the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 'wot done it'. Not me, but the fact that "Question Time" is being broadcast from Northern Ireland on December 4th. Mr Durkan reckoned this had embarrassed the DUP and Sinn Fein into doing a deal.
Influential though ""Question Time" is, I'm not entirely convinced by this argument. Maybe it was just combat fatigue, as both republicans and unionists got tired off hearing us hacks running out of synonyms for the word "gridlock".
Tomorrow Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are expected to give the Assembly Executive and Review Committee a joint letter, with a fairly hefty annex. The way forward will involve the election of a future justice minister by cross community support.The DUP say they haven't agreed a definite date for devolving justice. But republicans will point to 6 or 7 action areas for future legislation designed to culminate around April of next year.
On Thursday the Executive is expected to meet, focussing on the economic downturn (including, potentially, what can be done for the construction industry and ideas to tackle the problem of fuel poverty).
Besides justice other elements of the package are thought to include a minority languages protocol ( instead of an Irish Language Act), parking the Maze stadium proposal and finding other ways to fund a Conflict Resolution Centre at the Maze (probably through European money).
Some sources suggest there could be a "review" of the academic selection controversy. Other policies - such as the future regulation of rural planning - stand ready to be approved.
So a lot of movement in a short time. After the first meeting on Thursday, though, Executive ministers will have to work hard to overcome the public antipathy which they have allowed to build over recent months.
P.S. Another source tells me that the educational element is not a review of the transfer procedure, but rather the unfreezing of legislation on the creation of an Education and Skills Authority. What's likely to be unveiled tomorrow will deal with the devolution of justice - the other elements may follow as officials are freed up to move them forward.
I'm 
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